To Tithe Or Not To Tithe, That Is The Question?

There are not many a pastor, preacher, bible scholar or teacher that will disagree with the fact that tithing belongs to the Levites and the Temple system of Israel in the Old Testament. Tithing had to do with the fact that the tribe of Levi did not earn money but were the priests and high priest of the temple and apart from burnt offerings and other practices they the Levites shared in the 10th Tithe that was given to the Temple for the running thereof.

But, yes there is a “But’ and you will hear this all the time. Preachers and church leaders today will use a trove of verses to show that you have to give to the church 10% of your earnings with the Old Testament as a rule for the 10%. So to be fair we need to take a look at some of the verses used, and yes only New Testament verses that do not deal with the Jewish traditions will be considered as we all agree that the Temple system and Ceremonial Laws belong to a period made null and void by the death and resurrection of Jesus our Saviour.

The first verse that we see is clear that we need to do good and communicate as these sacrifices please God, and yes that is what you are here for, to please God and glorify God, and all the time you thought that you are here for the beer and pretzels!

But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Heb 13:16

The next verse it is abundantly clear that YOU have to share with those people that DO NOT HAVE. It is very clear that we should be selfless when it comes to giving to those that do not have.

He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise. Luke 3:11

So then we see that if we give that this will be returned to us with what we give, now be careful for the Bible tells us not to collect riches on the earth but rather in heaven, and yes when you please God you do accumulate riches in heaven and not private jets, mansions’ and Bentley’s on earth, no those are not the riches of Scripture!

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. Luke 6:38

And just if you thought of kicking and screaming, here is a verse directly spoken by Jesus where He in a very concise manner tells us how to achieve the treasures in heaven and YOU have to give to the poor and YOU have to sacrifice for it.

Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. Luke 12:33

Now what should we do to those that ask from us and we know they are up to no good, well Jesus says give to them for you need to love your enemy. Remember that God says, “Vengeance is Mine”, and that is what it is about when you give in love and the deviant taking from you will get his or her punishment in the White Throne Judgment while your treasure in heaven have already been collected. Remember that we must turn away from those unbelievers as Light has no business with darkness, but that is a whole different subject and study.

Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. Mat 5:42

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. Mat 5:43

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; Mat 5:44

You are ordered by God to take care of your family for if YOU do not take care of your own family/house then you deny the faith of God and become an empty vessel.

But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. 1Ti 5:8

Take note we have arrived, and yes the verses below are the go to text of Scripture and in the own words of Jesus to boot, these are the verses that many a preacher, elder and church leader will use to say see you have to give your tenth as a tithe to the treasury of God!

Well in the beginning I said that we will not use the customs of Israel to justify something that is now binding on converted gentiles rather than on the Jewish people.

The treasury that is spoken of here belongs to the Ceremonial Law and the Old Testament tithing, see Malachi 3:10, and no the moral of the verses is the fact that the rich gave with no sacrifice all the while the poor widow had to sacrifice to give and in that is the blessing of God, not the money the sacrifice, not the cross but the sacrifice Jesus made for us, YOU have to give to your family, the poor, the widow and the orphans and it has to be a sacrifice and if you do not suffer it is no sacrifice.

And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. Mar 12:41

And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. Mar 12:42

And he called [unto him] his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: Mar 12:43

For all [they] did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, [even] all her living. Mar 12:44

There is many a verse in the Old Testament about giving to the poor and I included none here because I did not want anyone to shout BIAS! Now there is a warning to all those that love riches in this world and yes that includes preachers with million and even billions in wealth, and this comes straight from God, see the following verses.

Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Jam 5:1

Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Jam 5:2

Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Jam 5:3

Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. Jam 5:4

Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Jam 5:5

Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you. Jam 5:6

Read the last verse and see what the rich have done, when you sacrifice and they take from you, and be sure God is great and God is just. Now to come to the question of, to tithe or not to tithe, well ask your bishop, pastor, elder and church leaders the following two questions and see if they can give you a definitive answer and if not, use the above to bring them the truth and if they harden their hearts then take the brethren with you, and if they still will not yield to God’s truth then leave with your brothers and assemble together in worship and truth.

1. Where in the New Testament do we see the instruction to tithe to the New Testament church (the Body of Christ) or a pastor, elder or church leader so that they can give to the poor, WHERE?

2. Where in the New Testament are we instructed to give to a man made church, as opposed to the Body of Christ in the form of the poor, your family, widowed and orphans and this includes your enemies that YOU have to give to, WHERE?

The Bible is clear as who should be given to, and it is not to an intermediary (Pastor) that will then give your sacrifice to whom they please after taking a commission while you toil and give and they wait and receive, well you read it above and yes they are already accursed. So the last question will be:

To tithe or not to tithe, that is the question?

NO, take care of your family, and YOU give to the needy, poor and downtrodden in life, and giving does not refer to money only but food, clothes time, effort and the most of all is to give them the truth of God through the Lord Jesus Christ so they may have everlasting life. Read it, believe it and own it, through your sacrifices and that is what God says in His Word and therefore I do not care what man says for mans heart is evil always!